Saws & Tooling

Futuristic Panel Saw
The futuristic looking Striebig Standard S model, the newest of the six Striebig models, is built on the same foundation as the legendary Striebig saws and is still a simple, powerful, manual machine. Large, hard to handle sheets are quickly and easily managed and pre¬cisely cut on a Striebig saw that takes much less than half the floor space of horizontal saws and produces smooth, quality finish cuts on all types of plastic up to 3 1/8” thick.

The optional full wood back support wall is ideal for supporting thin, flimsy plastic sheet, and adds another level of dust or chip control in the shop. The popular op¬ional Comfort package includes Y-axis digital measuring for horizontal cuts with push-button carriage clamping and motorized bump-switch control for fine adjustment, auto-locking support rollers, and laser cut line and is ideal for making horizontal rip cuts easy and precise. It is available in nine standard frame sizes to cut from 5’6” x 10’10” to 7’4” x 17’4” and special sizes that can be made to cut up to 10’ x 50’. It is also available with a two-speed motor for exceptional finish quality on thermoplastic materials.

If you would like a more automated machine for greater ease and production, the Control model provides automatic travel and a whole host of other standard and optional features. If you are more budget conscious and don’t need as much power, take a look at one of the Compact models which are also available in the similar standard frame sizes.

For more information, contact Dave Bull, Colonial Saw Company, Inc., 781-585-4364 x221, E-mail: dbull@csaw.com, Web: www.csaw.com/striebig-vertical-panel-saws/.

Powerful Panel Saw
Stiles Machinery proudly provides the HOMAG HPP 400 P (U.S. Edition) Panel Saw to the plastics industry. This powerful and versatile machine combines state-of-the-art technology with innovative German engineering for the ultimate in power and precision. With advanced standard features and a wide variety of highly customizable options, HOMAG’s HPP 400 P is designed to meet all of your unique production needs. The machine’s main saw motor features variable RPM speed control for high-quality performance, while its reverse cutting capabilities enable processing of thin plastic sheets without the risk of damaging delicate materials. Featuring a central side pressure device integrated into saw carriage that works from below the machine bed, the HPP 400 P is able to achieve precise alignment of thin sheets as well as full stacks of dense material. This machine also comes standard with air tables at the front of the saw and a complete air bed with dustEx at the cut line for effortless material handling and superior chip collection. HOMAG’s HPP 400 P U.S. Edition features HOMAG’s easy-to-use CADMatic operating software and powerTouch control system for intuitive machine control and operation. Moving graphics on the controller walk the operator through even the most complex cutting operations with ease.

For more information, contact David Mays, Stiles Machinery, 3965 44th St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512, 616-698-7500, E-mail: dmays@stilesmachinery.com, Web: www.stilesmachinery.com.

New Panel Saw Line
CMS North America introduced the Helix Line of panel saws which are engineered specifically for cutting advanced materials including plastics, composites, foam and aluminum. These automated fully equipped plastics saws include many key features to help you process better quality parts faster and more safely.

The Helix Line offers a pusher/clamping system that automatically positions heavy stacks of material for every precision cut which improves safety and reduces hand and back injuries. A blade projection from 3” to 6.5” allows for the of cutting thicker materials. The panel saws are precision engineered, with a heavy-duty machine base that ensures saw cutting repeatability of high precision parts, faster machine cycle speeds, improved productivity and vibration free cutting of pieces which do not require subsequent edge finishing in many cases. The robust main motors from 18-60 HP can process a wide variety of plastic materials and the redesigned pressure beam with four ports efficiently evacuates chips for cleaner parts. It offers a specially designed cutting table with narrow grooves and clamps that enable chip free cutting of thin materials. A 4’ rear phenolic table sup¬ports narrow strips and rods for cross cutting into small pieces. The on-board optimization software increases ma¬terial yield and reduces waste while the new 21.5” touch¬screen PC with Maestro Software allows storing of specific plastic cutting parameters.

CMS North America is a division of SCM Group, a leading manufacturer of CNC panel saws, CNC routers, sanders and other products for the plastics market.

For more information contact Phil Bryant, SCM Group North America, 2475 Satellite Blvd., Duluth, GA 30096, 404-759-3534, E-mail: pbryant@cmsna.com, Web: www. cmsna.com.

Innovative Panel Saws
Biesse offers small, medium and large companies who fabricate plastic and advanced material much better ways to speed up production and improve quality. How? For example, the WN6 panel saw has perfected a Closed-Saw Carriage Cable Carrier to protect against falling trim pieces making cleaning and maintenance quick and easy. Sprayed air cools and cleans blade teeth with an option for nebulizing any liquid, increasing the lifetime of the tool. The tool’s RPM can be instantly adjusted directly from the control panel without stopping operation, improving production times. And reverse cutting is standard, meaning that feeding direction can be set as a parameter from the control panel, avoiding the need for special tools for very thin materials.

A wide range of benefits further extend to customers working with other sensitive materials. For example, the main frame aluminum plate on a WN6 can be fitted with an optional air cushion, and the motorized pressure beam achieves high cutting quality even on sensitive materials, with no minimum pressure limit.

It’s clear that the same dedication to world-class ideas, designs and experience that Biesse offers to those who work with wood also gives those who work in plastics and advanced materials a distinctive edge. Find out more about the Biesse’s range of machinery for manufacturing plastics and move forward into your next era of success with confidence.

For more information, contact Gerri Yarbrough, Biesse America, 4110 Meadow Oak Drive, Charlotte, NC 28208, 704-357-3131, Fax: 704-357-3130, E-mail: marketing@biesseamerica.com, Web: www.biesse.com/na/advanced-materials/.

Dust Collection
Dust Technology™ maintains the design to one of this industry’s most efficient and reliable waste extraction systems, removing the dust and waste material of wood, plastics, solid surface particles and many others from the manufacturing process. A main feature of their systems is the financial benefits received by way of their internal air return process. No air, whether it is heated or cooled, is discharged outdoors, greatly reducing your facilities monthly utility costs. Their units are both durable & affordable, costing substantially less than conventional cyclone systems and are 100% made in the U.S. The rugged "Strong Leg System" features eleven-gauge steel ensuring secure installation with only two sets of nuts and bolts. This extends the useful life of their equipment while maintaining superior acoustic dampening. The product line consists of eleven models and rotary air lock unloaders, units equipped from 3 to 25 HP T.E.F.C. blower motors depending on the model. Single phase and other voltages are available. Every unit has a unique baffling system that forces the collection bags to fill evenly and a unique latch system that offers quick access to the impeller. The standard anti-static upper cloth filters bags are designed to decrease airflow resistance, increase airflow and dust extraction, and significantly lower pressure drop differentials. Fire suppression systems are available.

Through their sister companies they also design and manufacture custom central dust collection systems for your entire facility and are one of the largest stocking suppliers of dust collection spiral pipe, fittings and accessories for industrial ventilation, dust and fume collection in the U.S.

For more information, contact Bryan Murphy, DustTechnology.com, 100 Ashburton Ave., Woburn, MA 01801, 800-322-0070/781-938-8755, E-mail: sales@DustTech.com, Web: www.DustTechnology.com and www.Dustpipe.com.

No-Melt Blades
Modified triple-chip grind tooth style and specially engineered side clearances make Forrest Manufacturing's carbide tipped No-Melt blades the perfect choice for cutting single or multiple stacked sheets of plastic without chipping or melting.

The No-Melt blade is just one of the many award-winning general-, special- and custom-purpose blades and dados offered by Forrest Manufacturing, a family-owned business for more than 50 years. All Forrest blades are manufactured in the U.S. to exacting standards, using proprietary grinding techniques and hand straightening. The result is exceptional perimeter concentricity, an astonishing +/- .001” side runout and super fine-tooth grind for smooth, quiet and precise cuts. The No-Melt blade is no exception. Its numerous teeth allow fast feeding of brittle acrylics. Super-hard C-4 micro grain carbide tips ensure 50 to 300 percent longer life between sharpenings. The No-Melt blade is available in 7” to 20” diameters with 60 to 120 teeth. It is particularly appropriate for cutting acrylics, Delrins®, ABS, styrenes, PVC, and high- and low-melt nylons. Forrest blades come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Factory sharpening services for all makes of carbide tipped circular blades is also available.

Forrest also offers their Duraline blades available in different tooth styles to meet different needs. The TCG for plastic cuts smoother than No-Melt due to narrower clearance angles. Use #11 TCG to prevent chipping edge of acrylic sheet. Also keep blade height low if on table saw. Made with double-hard C-4 Submicron Carbide for longer life between sharpenings.

For more information, contact Jay Forrest, Forrest Manufacturing Company, 457 River Road, Clifton, NJ 07014, 800-733-7111, Web: www.forrestblades.com.

Saw Blades for Plastics
Atlas Saw & Tool, LLC, a market leading producer of saw blades and custom tooling since 1948, offers an extensive line of saw blades engineered exclusively for the plastics industry. With decades of plastics saw blade manufacturing experience and a dedicated team of application specialists, Atlas continues to be a preferred supplier to the plastics industry. Headquartered in Illinois, with additional locations in Florida and Arizona, Atlas provides its plastics customers with a broad range of saw blades designed to cut all types of acrylics and mechanical plastics. Atlas’ top-selling Acrylic RV saw blades are engineered to reduce chipping on thin acrylic sheets and feature a unique grind pattern to minimize heat and prevent melting. The company’s mechanical plastic saw blades feature a unique tooth geometry design, allowing for smooth, easy cuts on ultra-low melt plastics – including nylon, polypropylene, UHMW and HDPE. “What makes Atlas Saw & Tool a market leader is the fact that we have blades designed for every plastic-cutting application,” said Kent Kerns, Atlas’ General Manager. “No matter the machine, blade size or type of plastic that needs to be cut, Atlas has a compatible saw blade. And, our full line of saw blades is always ready-to-ship and typically arrives to the customer within 24 to 72 hours.”

For more information, contact Kent Kerns, Atlas Saw & Tool, LLC, a Fletcher Business Group Company, 7801 Industrial Drive, Spring Grove, IL, 60081, 815-675-1333. E-mail: kent@atlassaw-tool.com, Web: www.atlassaw-tool.com.

Cleaner, Cooler & Chip Free
Fabrication Tools and Material, Inc. (FTM) is The Fabricators Source® for Peaktool Works Saw Blades. Engineered to cut cleaner, cooler and chip free on a wide variety of plastics, wood, non-ferrous metals and other materials. A triple chip tooth design offers high production and long tool life.

Machine specific with available keys and pins where required. These high-quality blades let you operate at maximum efficiency. You can reduce your overall cost per cut. Their team of experts can extend the life of your tools. FTM can help with even the most challenging applications when cutting a variety of plastics. Go to www.123ftm.com to find their “Saw-Lector Guide for Blades” to find the right blade for your application. FTM stocks 8" and 10" blades and can often ship the same day.

We all love the “home centers”, but they won’t have a blade with C4 Carbide, Triple Chip Teeth, or even the correct Tooth Geometry. For that, professional fabricators go where professional fabrication supplies are sold.

For more information, contact Robert Ashcraft, Fabrication Tools and Materials, Inc. (FTM), 327 Industrial Dr. Ste.1, Placerville, CA 95667, (530) 626-1986. E-mail: rob@123ftm.com, Web: www.123ftm.com.